Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-15
Mary, was reared and dedicated TO the
vorship OF the Most High God.

for the aged and disabled soldiers OF
the British army was erected. Charles
III. laid the cornerstone, and the edi-
fec was completed at enormous cost.
But this magnificent pile was not COM
plete without its chapel, with its tesse-
lated marble pavement hundred feet
In length and its grained ceiling hung
with batile-fags captured at Barossa,
Talavera, and Waterloo, Was opened
for divine service.
l need not tell Won that the most
superb of oil the structures ever reared
for disabled soldiers is the Hotel DIES
lnvslides. of Paris, the noblest monu-
ment Of the AuguStan age Of Louis
XIV. The number Of inmates has va
ricd from few hundred TO 5000. Once
many Of them thrilled at the mention
of Marengo, Jena, aud Austerlitz.
These have passed away Int others,
manned and mutilated in recent wars,
have taken their places, and there sleep
the remains of Napoleon |. in such a
mnusoleum as honors the dust OF no
other soldier.
The lofty dome OF that veterans home,
towering high above surrounding
buildings, proclaims the care that
France takes of her superannuated and
disabled soldiers. But the heart of the
Hoteldes Invalldes is not the mausoleum
of Napoleon L.. but the chapel where
the visitor is reminded that,
THOUGH KINGS DIE
and leave their thrones empty, there is
one immortal King whose dominion en-
dmcth throughout all generations, and
that, though other conquerors suffer de-
feat and finally yield to death, the Lord
God of hosts lives and reigns forever
more.
Humble in comparison ms this Home
OF the Confederate soldier may be, it
has one feature which distinguishes it
from those to which | have made allu-
sion. They were the gifts of kings or
reared by the wealth of prosperous and
powerful monarchies. Ours is a spon-
taneous gift of n grateful but impover-
ished people. And if We cannot give
to it's inmates all the advantages and
comforts which other institutions af-
ford, we will try to compensate for the
deficiency Ivy giving them the consola-
tons, the hopes, and the blessings Of
the Gospel Of our dear and loving Lord.
What then, may ask, DO we antici-
pate from the humble chapel which We
dedicate to-day What lessons does il
teach rs and what lessons are to be
taught III il to those who shall worship
here?
answer: First, its undenomina-
tional character reminds MS that amidst
all our soctarian zeal and activity there
is comminglcd with it Il broad and gene
rous charity which recognizes and APP
pTeciates whatever is good in the faith
and forms Of other churches.
! know OF no other city in the world
where there is less scctarian bigo;ry and
oxcius;yenoss than in richmond. Were
there any Church among us that would
GTroeato to itself a monopoly OF Gods
Gifts and favor, there is spirit in the
religious community that would resist
and IeLuke such ecclesiastical are
qance. This is not a Presbyterian,
Episcopal, Methodist, or Baptist chapel.
Its pulpit will always be open to those
who preach the essential and cardinal
truths of salvation. We do not demand
or desire organic union between the
different denominations. Let each
maintain its own creed, and its own
form of government, but let all main
tain
CHARITY, MUTUAL LOVE, AND CONFIDENCE.
As it has been well said, Like the
tribes of Israel We may all encamD
about the tabernacle of God, each I'M
der its own standard and when the
ark advances, We may MI move on
ward, terrible only to the powers OF
darkness. We have too much to do in
putting down the common enemy to
waste our strength and destroy our
Christian harmony in fighting each
other. The things which are common
TO all the churches are the things which
are the hest in all. Let us, then, hold
10 the essentials and disregard the IN
essentials, having for our motto. "In
necessary things, unity; in doubtful
things, liberty; in all things. charity
2. Let us ever keep in mind that the
three-fold object for which every church
and chapel is built is to provide place
for prayer, praise, and the proclama
ton Of the pure Word Of God. Let I
us heed the instruction of this beauti-
full psalm. What does David say? |
80, Lord God Of Hosts, hear my
prayer; give ear, o God of Jacob. +
Behold, o God, our shield, and look I
upon the face OF Thine anointed ; for
a day i'll Thy courts is better than
thousand. / had rather be a door !
keeper in the house of my God than to
dwell in the tents of wickedness."
Here. then, let us come to entreat |
the pardon of our sins, the cleansingof |
our hearts. the publication of our lives. /
Here let MS make intercession for
others-for the sick, the sorrowing,
the. fIiendless, the homeless, the be- |
reayed, the ignorant, the erring, and |
for all who are living without hope and |
without God in the world. Let us pray,
as our dear Lord has taught us, for the |
coming OF His kingdom in our own |
souls. in our families. in our chsrches,
in our community. in our Common
" wealth, in our country, and in the whole |
world.
Here. too, let Us sing Gods praise
- Whose ofitreth praise glorifieth Ne.
Our best theology is embodied in our |
hymns. Men who differ in the state
ncnt OF their creeds are III unison in
he hymns which they sing.
HOWEVER WE NAY DIFFER
n our confessions of faith, in our arti-
les. in our caiechisms. we can AL unite
n singing
"Rork Of Ages, cleft for me.
Lot Ino hide myseN in Thee
Re can join in that tenderest OF Chris
ian lyrics,
Jesus. lover Of my soul.
Let me 20 Thy bosom n.y.
Ne can tune our lips to
"ATazing grace. how sweet sound
That saved a wretch like me-"
We can fortify our confidence with
How firm foundation, ye saints Of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith In His excellent Word"
Ne can breathe out our souls aspira-
ion III
Nearer, my God. 10 Thee,
Nearer tO Thee"
We can catch the spirit of the ami
mating strain,
All hail the power Of Jesus name"
We can at once praise and make sur
fuder of orr hearts. as we sing